Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1887-02-10
OFFICIAL CIRCLES.
some OF the Things Which Az itate
tho IIadies
From the Men YorkTrf6Wne.

over Il new fashion at he White House
receptions. at used Il be pleasure to
go into the Blue roon," said one, the
wild Of an official, the>ther day, "but it
Is often very awkward low. After greet
Ing the President and hrs. Cleveland ard
Mrs. Manning, one haIily knows what to
DO with the rest of thetime. / must say,
like to shake hands nth people know.
But this new-fanglel wrinkle that the
other Cabinet women lave taken up may
be all very ine and lately, but 1t is not
agreeable nor pleasant welcome to
guests. For instano, you shake hands
with the President AID his wife, both of
whom give you hearty and vigorous
grasp as if they meant something. Then
Mrs. Manning follows their example and
greets you in the sane pleasant way.
You feel that you are rally welcome and
glad you went and gotcrowded TO get in.
It's a reward of merit, you know, and
you feel as happy as ilyou hadn't strug-
gled and suffered justa minute before.
but the next mirute as you pass on
you are received witt cold, formal bows
by the other assistants in the line. It's all
very fine and stately of course, as L have
said. These womln stand erect before
you, each with her hands as immovable
as If they were maiacled, and each gives
you an unbendingnod of recognition. |
tell you, it's JUS like being suddenly
struck by cod yave. You feel chilled,
and all the warmth and glow of hospitali-
~ and good feeling vanishes at once. To
be sure it's a new thing. Secretary
Lamar's wife has got it, too. She stands
at the end of tie line and furthest from
the President, and by the time you reach
her you feel petty well CONCEALED. No
body expects them to shake hands with
all the stralgers. But it has been the
custom heretofore for the assist
ants to shake hands with
people Trey knew. 1t seems so
absurd, when you know the Cabinet
women intheir own homes in social,
friendly way, to have them put on this
formal manner IN the Blue room 1t
makes ore feel Just like staying away
from thew hie House. Oh, no. Fatigue
Of handslaking has nothing to do with it.
It's a new wrinkle they've adopted this
season. Now you needn't tell me that
Mrs. Lamar has not been used to the old
tine hsndshaking with friends. She is
Southern woman, and has never been
used to any other mode OF greeting. But
he very first time the old lady gets into
Inc at the White House she too catches
on and repudIates the old fashion she
held TO as the true one for half CEN
{ Jury"
''Do you suppose she's been instruct
edT asked Senator's vile, laughing.
''Of course she has.'
"Well, think the President ought to
veto this new-tangled wrinkle" put in a
brHsque young woman. "If l were
President I'd send them a message call
ing attention to myeXample and suggest
they follow it and show they are In the
line to assist, and not simply to stand
there to be looked at. Isn't 1t odd,
though, that Mrs. Manning is the only
one of the Cabinet women who follows
the lead of the President and his wife in
their way of receiving people?'
sob, she has the tact to see it's the
proper thing to do. She greets people in
the Blue room, when she knows them,
much as she does in her own house. And
when strangers show the inclination to
extend their hands she meets them fully
half way and shakes hands with them.
OF course they feel more comfortable to
have the welcome of the President and
his wife followed up little along the
line. Now, as many times as Pve been
to the White House, L really find it for
midable to pass that line In the Blue
room, and Pm not timid person either.
But it's something awful for the strangers.
They don't know what they are expected
to DO after they pass the President and Mrs.
Cleveland. Some hitch along, half put
out their hands, draw them back, half
bow, then straighten up scared at what
they have done and sorry tor what they've
lett undone. Before they get out they are
greatly embarrassed and of course very
awkward. BY the time they get into the
East room they realize that assisting the
President IS for the most part standing
erect in the line and doing nothing.
They've read about the wives of the Cabi-
net ofhcers assisting the President. Now
they know what it all MEANS" she con-
cluded in little tone OF sarcasm, as If
assisting the President to receive meant
very little assistance after all.
when one is an invited guest one ex-
poets TO be received as an invited guest,
whether one goes to the White House or
10 private house. What would the
Cabinet women say if their assistants on
W ednesdays were to stand off and bow
formally to their visitors?" asked the
other. And vet the Cabinet receptions
are really public receptions, and the
hostess shakes hands with every stranger
VINO chooses to call, and the assistants
10 the same thing. But this hostess
goes to the White House TO receive
with the President, and when there in
the blue' Room she draws herself
up several inches taller, and bows frigid-
ly 10 people she knows perfectly we'll
ana greets socially in her own house. L
confess l don't understand this new eti-
quette, or whatever it may be called.
, 'o oeeh gong 10 the w hlte House q
long llme, every winter since my hus band
mas been IN the Senate, ana never saw
anything like it before this season. SO
It's new tbingv
"on, the only people they unbend to
are the foreigners" said the brusque
young woman. They bow to the Ameri-
can olnclals, but they shake hands fast
snough With the diplomats and their
wives: Ihey draw the line at us. Sew
9rai Vi US saw enough to convince us of
maj TACT at the last reception"
| very we'll, then 10 Is high time to re-
sent IL. NOW, no matter what incliua-
IoI tney may manifest hereafter TO
snake hands, for one shall nav them
p~cA III Ihelr own coin. They will get a
,oimsi DOW from me and no more after
'nIs "neh see them in The Blue ROOM
Inc ABOVE reveals the origin OF Que So
clal grievance just at this time ranking
the hearts Of many society women. IL
DeleVe, quite true that until the
essht season etiquette at the White
ouse receptions has made it a pleasant
uVy Tor the Presidents assistants to
uak9 nGhds with guests who were per-
pn1ily known to them: Assistants in
NC Inc nave always naturally enough
AAen the example of the White House
ieGIess as rule unto themselves and a
uIuc IpE action in the form OF receiving
'esIs az onclal receptions or visitors at
puplc receptions. Now, however,
I'm the exception OF Mrs. Manning. the
ives OF the Cabinet officers. when as
L u L.